Structural battery pack stockpiling

[KHappe]

From Joe's drone videos, we can see there are lots of structural battery packs being storage at Giga Austin. If I remember correctly, you can even see that it is labeled as Model Y Structural Pack. Also with the new 4680 run rate update.
Why are they storing all of these packs instead of using them?
Are they going to rework the Model Y lineup? And a new model will use these packs?
Are they waiting for the 4680 run rate to get even better?

Another thought, Tesla uses the same parts in several of their cars. Will they use these packs in CT?
I haven't done any analysis to see if they would even fit.

Just trying to understand why they are stock pilling packs instead of using them.

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[TyPope]

It probably isn't worth resetting the production line to make a few 4680 MYs and then resetting the line to produce the 2170 versions and then resetting the line to make 4680 versions and then resetting the line to make 2170 versions and then resett.....

(It's not the same as having different options available because the whole structure of the car changes.)

When they have enough to warrant a long run, they'll probably use them all up quickly and then revert back until they have a stockpile again. They'll do this until they've gotten 4680 production at or above the needed amount to produce MYs continually. Figuring in, of course, the CT which will most likely use ONLY 4680 batteries.

 

[Crissa]

Just think of how many castings they have sitting queued up.

It's surprising the battery packs aren't the bottleneck now, but... They're not selling the 4680 Model Y yet. But if they can make a thousand cars a week... Maybe that's soon.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

I think in a nutshell it’s simply that they have surplus batteries (and packs) at the moment and they are just stockpiling. They stopped selling the Model Y AWD (4680) a while back, it’s likely they will blow these out at some point.

As @TyPope suggested, they likely don’t have enough 4680 production to keep their assembly line busy yet, so queue up large batches. Once 4680 production takes off, they might have an assembly line dedicated to 4680 car production full time.

 

[greggertruck]

They're not selling the 4680 Model Y yet.

They're absolutely already selling 4680 Model Y's.

 

[Crissa]

They're absolutely already selling 4680 Model Y's.

They aren't selling them at the time point that I made that post. Not that they hadn't in the past, which my 'yet' may have misled.

-Crissa

 

[greggertruck]

They aren't selling them at the time point that I made that post. Not that they hadn't in the past, which my 'yet' may have misled.

-Crissa

That's.... confusing.

They've never not been selling 4680 units, it never stopped. They're limited and random, but they're sold everyday.

 

[Ogre]

…they're sold everyday.

I don’t think they have produced or sold any Model Y AWD in at least the last 3-4 weeks or more. They sold them internally for a bit. Released a few hundred into inventory, then once they were able to reliably source the 2170 structural packs they seemingly stopped selling them entirely.

There isn’t a good feedback loop on this on this so it’s really hard to say.

 

[Crissa]

Unless they're supplying them to only fleet customers, they aren't selling them every day. And even then, maybe not every day?

-Crissa

 

[RVAC]

That's.... confusing.

They've never not been selling 4680 units, it never stopped. They're limited and random, but they're sold everyday.

Do you have any evidence of 4680 Y's being produced as of late?

 

[greggertruck]

I don’t think they have produced or sold any Model Y AWD in at least the last 3-4 weeks or more. They sold them internally for a bit. Released a few hundred into inventory, then once they were able to reliably source the 2170 structural packs they seemingly stopped selling them entirely.

There isn’t a good feedback loop on this on this so it’s really hard to say.

They do pop in and out of inventory on Tesla.com

Do you have any evidence of 4680 Y's being produced as of late?

They show up randomly when you go to "buy now" on Model Y inventory page. "Model Y All-Wheel Drive". Currently the option doesn't show any cars here in PHX, but it comes and goes. I know I saw it about a week ago. We were considering the discount going on and trading in the Model 3 we have for a Y. But, alas.... didn't.

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